Mechanical engineering students cannot pick a computer like everyone else. If you’re not exactly tech-savvy, then you might be a bit overwhelmed by the specs you see and you might be afraid of making a bad decision.
Luckily for you, finding a good computer for engineering boils down to understanding the requirements of the programs that you’ll be using and looking for a handful of crucial specs. Once you understand what those important components are, you’ll have a much easier time finding a machine. Here are some tips for mechanical engineering students looking for a good laptop.
Pick the GPU Wisely
One of the most important components when picking up a computer as a mechanical engineering professional or student is the GPU. Things can get tricky here, however. You first have to look at what you’re expecting to do with your laptop and what type of student you are.
Some people may want to experiment with more advanced programs right off the bat even if they won’t immediately be exposed to them, for instance. If you’re the type who likes to tinker on their own projects, or you often feel like things aren’t going too fast enough, then it would be a good idea for you to get a computer that is already configured to run the most complex programs.
You may not learn programs like Solidworks in the beginning, for instance, but it would still be a good idea to pick up something like a Lenovo Solidworks laptop right now. This way, you’ll be able to start learning the program and have a perfect machine for it once it is introduced into your program.
Don’t Skimp on the CPU
Engineering programs put a lot of stress on the CPU, and you’ll need an elite chip if you want to be able to run the heaviest programs. If you want to get specific, then you’ll need something with at least 3ghz of clock speed with four to eight cores and eight to sixteen threads. If that’s too complicated for you, look for something with an i7 Intel processor at the very least, as you can’t go wrong there.
Consider Gaming Laptops
High-end gaming laptops may be meant for gaming, but they can make great professional laptops as well. If you like to do a lot of gaming in your free time and you don’t want to buy separate machines, it could be a good idea to look at some of the Ryzen gaming units out there. Ryzen processors are perfect for 3D rendering and CAD applications and the multithreading action makes them suitable for running multiple heavy applications and modules at once. So, don’t assume that because a laptop is branded for gaming that it cannot do serious work.
Don’t Overlook the Intangibles Either
Some of the things like travel on the keyboard or viewing angles get overlooked by engineering students, but that’s a mistake. The screen, in particular, needs to be of the highest quality so you can see and appreciate the details of your designs better. Go for something with a 4K UHD screen with IPS technology as they’re better at color reproduction and offer much superior viewing angles than VA displays.
These tips should help you find the best laptop for your mechanical engineering classes. If you’re looking for more information, don’t hesitate to ask other people who have gone through the same program as you for some recommendations or ask your school for recommendations of their own.